In many cases, it is nice to have someone come with you for moral support when you are visiting a medical clinic. But there may be times when this is not possible. Perhaps your friends and family members have other obligations and simply are not available, or maybe you're having to visit a clinic while out of town for work. Whatever the case, you will benefit from these tips for visiting a medical clinic alone.
Tell someone where you are going
Just in case something happens during your medical appointment, it is important that somebody close to you knows where you are going. If for some reason you have to go into the hospital as a result of tests taken during your appointment, you don't want this to be a total surprise to your family members. You also want to have someone on-call if you faint during the appointment and can't drive yourself home, or if you get bad news during the appointment and need emotional support.
Let the receptionist know you are alone
When you arrive at the appointment, let the receptionist know that you are alone. They can tell the doctor this, which may mean the doctor chooses certain tests or treatments over others to ensure it's safe for you to drive home and be alone afterward. The receptionist can also be more helpful with things like filling out paperwork or helping you walk to the exam room if they know you're alone and that you need some assistance.
Ask if you can record conversations with the doctor
Visiting the medical clinic with a friend gives you a second set of ears to listen to the doctor's advice, which is really helpful when you're feeling under the weather and may not be able to listen as well as you'd like. Since you're visiting alone, you won't have this second set of ears. Ask the doctor if you can instead record the conversation you have in the exam room. This way, you can listen to it later, when you're calmer, and know you have not missed any of the doctor's advice or instructions.
Visiting a medical clinic alone is not always ideal, but if it's your only option, you can definitely make do. Let someone know you are going, rely on the receptionist for assistance when needed, and record your conversation with the doctor. With these tips, you can have a safe and productive appointment.
For further tips and information, reach out to a local medical clinic.